Reminds Me Where I Want to Be

So I left these people, looking sweet and adorable and fun, and came to Florida.

For the record, I like North Florida.

Not a soul here has not been kind, with a big smile and an earnestness to help.  (We will not discuss the Bird-Bates Hotel-- but even those people are nice.)

 To the right is our server at the F.A. Cafe--which, if anyone ever comes to the St. Augustine Beach to eat, you should know that F.A. stands for Fucking Awesome, and it lives up to it's name. She is kind, accommodating, and helped Shannon, my roommate and terrifyingly competent (and amazingly kind) DSP Wunderkind, find someone to help her clean her upholstery, as she spilled soda in her mother's car on the way down.

She also gave us the hook up on breakfast.  We like her!

To the left is Shannon (sorry about the red-eye, Shannon!)

I LOVE this woman.

She is funny, kind, and did I mention the competent?  If you ever want to get lost in an Amazon jungle, she'd be the one in the boots, the pith helmet and the cammies, ready to lead you to safety.  I'd follow her anywhere.  I'd especially follow her to a good restaurant, cause we found a few.

 To the right again, in the pink, is Amy Di Martino.

She really IS adorable.  We LOVE Amy.  Amy was the general liason and BFF to the makers of the con, Jennifer and Dolorianne. Amy is so much concentrated goodness and oomph, you just want to bounce with her, because she WILL make your day better.

Did I mention we LOVE Amy?

 This is sunrise on the beach.  It's really frickin' beautiful, and I got to be out in it.  I even had some headshots taken out there-- I'm hoping there's more beach in the shot than there is Amy Lane.  Cause, well, look at that sky, right?

 These are albino alligators.  Yeah, they're in cages!  Yeah, they're rare!  The St. Augustine Alligator Farm has two of them.

They also have these guys.

 They also have Maximo.

 Shannon came with me to the alligator farm.  We both agreed that anyone who writes M/M books or slashfic or works in the industry NEEDS to go see a creature named Maximo when there is an opportunity to do so.

 And here is a Provost Squirrel.  Provost means "pretty."  This particular squirrel IS pretty, and looks like a little tamarind monkey, actually.  Shannon and I also both agreed that this could be the one squirrel we would swerve to avoid should it try to commit suicide in front of our car.  And forgive the shitty picture.  I THINK this is a Provost Squirrel.  If I'm wrong, it's something with scales and fangs that will kill you as you sit.  Either way, don't stick your hand in that cage.

 This is something long and scary.  I think it was breathing.  By then, I'd had a cumulative attack of the heebie-fucking-jeebies and we decided to leave then.  We passed on the crocodile wing.

 This is our booth.  It looks very very pretty. I am particularly fond of seeing The Little Goddess books right next to Under the Rushes, A Solid Core of Alpha, and Talker.  

 This is me, Shannon, and Poppy.  We are looking very bright and happy.  It was early in the con.  We start looking more and more like the hags of hell the closer it gets to Sunday night.  (Okay.  Poppy was always a Southern lady.  Shannon and I freely admit to looking a bit worn.)

Kites on the beach.  Pretty.  We sat outside and watched them while we had our final discussion of Sunday.  And I'm kicking myself for not getting another picture between "Hey, we've set up the table!" and "Kites on the beach!"  Because the thing is, in between that, I sat on FIVE panels with Damon Suede.  Now, Damon is... well, he's a force of fucking nature is what he is.  He's like the the equivalent of three of those kites sailing in a smaller sky.  But I did panels and readings with him, and I think, (THINK) I may not have been completely out of my league.  I'm calling it a win!

 And this is Lucienne Diver.  She's beautiful (of course!) and gracious and we had lovely conversations together.  We also sat a panel together, and fed her cupcakes.  She loves us.

 Sunset.  On the beach!

 Home tomorrow, to those gorgeous people above.  It's been a helluva trip!